French Bulldog

About French Bulldogs

Even though this is a relatively modern breed, with ancestry going only about a century and a half, it has quickly become a popular companion even in the 19th century Paris, and it is a dog fit for this purpose even today. Small in stature, playful, friendly, and very intelligent, this is a very good dog for companionship.

Additionally, it doesn’t require a lot of grooming, or that much food due to the small size. While this breed likes to exercise and be active, they need a lot of steps to match a human step, meaning that walks will be enough to spend their energy. Frenchies are a mix of an English bulldog and a Parisian Ratter, but have a much better temperament and are much better suited as companion dogs than both of these breeds.

Nutrition

A Frenchie doesn’t require a lot of food, nor do they have specific requirements when it comes to the amount of protein compared to fat and carbs. As with most dogs, the basis for the dog’s diet should be protein, which should make more than half of the whole ingredients of the mix. Having a good combination of fat, carbs, and fiber, as well as vitamins and minerals in the mix, will be beneficial and would constitute a good feeding regiment for the dog.

While raw food will in no way harm a French Bulldog, it is not necessary as a good mix of high-quality wet dog food and kibble should suffice. That being said, as every puppy, a Frenchie will appreciate a nice meaty bone given to them every now and then.

Grooming

Grooming practices for Frenchies are quite different to most other dogs, as they will not need you to brush their coat as often as they will require you to brush their teeth. Even with the assistance from various dental chew toys and treats, a nice toothbrush about every two weeks will be very beneficial to the dog and will prevent ripe halitosis and later tooth decay and gum problems with this breed.

Additional grooming means cleaning the dog behind their ears and beneath their eyes as to prevent any infection, as well as to keep your dog tidy and therefore happy.

Finally, as the French Bulldog doesn’t wear down their nails naturally due to their positioning, you will need to clip their nails at least once a month. This would also be a good time for brushing, but if you want to prevent them leaving hairs, you might want to do that more often.

Exercise

French Bulldogs are not huge workout fans, as they do not need a lot of activity to stay healthy and can easily overheat. They are playful and will want to fetch balls and sticks, but if you are going out for a run, they will not be able to keep with your tempo. Gently walks for between half an hour and an hour every day to keep the canine in shape should do the trick.

If you have a yard or a garden you can play with them there for about an hour a day as an exercise, this has an added benefit of being close to home as you will be able to cease your workout as soon as you or the dog feel tired.

Training

While French Bulldog puppies are not the hardest thing to train, they can be sometimes stubborn and will disobey orders just to mess with you and to pretend that they are stronger. If their training starts early, they will be more than able to be trained in basic obedience making the pup learn how to sit, stay, fetch, and leave it.

Frenchies have a good sense of smell but are not used often as service animals due to their small stature. They are much more often companion dogs due to their gentle temperament and playfulness. If you want to train the dog to do some more demanding tasks, you will need to bring it to an expert, and it might take a while.

If the only thing you require from your dog is love and affections, French Bulldog owners will be pleased to know that this feature is available with this breed as soon as they arrive.

Health

As this is a crossbreed and still doesn’t have a wide enough genetic pool to remove all the quirks, health problems as a major issue with French Bulldogs, with issues like the aforementioned tooth decay being a breed standard.

As with most other breeds that are fed with modern diets, the puppies have grown significantly more than female French Bulldogs and often have health problems with hip dysplasia, and even spinal cord problems that can lead to inter vertebral disc disease later in life.

Additionally, they are one of the brachycephalic breeds, the brachycephalic syndrome being the obstruction of the nostrils. If either the nose or the ears seem like they are infected, you will need to bring your French bulldog puppy to a vet to administer some anti-inflammatory medications.

Finally, Frenchies are usually incapable of reproducing naturally due to hip positioning, meaning that would be breeders will need to call in a vet for artificial insemination if they want their dog to have babies. Once this is added to other health issues, there is a possibility that the vet bills will grow significantly.

Bottom Line

French Bulldogs fit in your lap, they don’t eat much, and they don’t require hours of exercise as some bigger breeds. They are by no means a budget option, as vet bills and grooming requirements can set you back quite a bit, but if you opt for a Frenchie you will not be sorry, as they will give you a lot of love, laughs, and affection, paid only in cuddles and belly rubs.

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